The present invention relates to electrically operated actuator mechanisms and particularly relates to such mechanisms which employ an electromagnetic operator and which are suitable for use in automotive applications such as, for example, a locking/unlocking mechanism for a fuel filler access door.
In recent times, it has been desired to provide remote electrical control of the locking and unlocking of an automotive fuel filler access door and to combine such electrical control of the filler access door with a mechanical override unlocking function to permit opening of the access door, in the event of failure of any of the electrical components.
In providing a actuator mechanism which is remotely electrically operated, and particularly suitable locking and unlocking for an automotive fuel filler access door, it has been found difficult to provide for latching or holding of the mechanism in the energized actuator or unlocked state without the need to maintain electrical power to the mechanism. For example, if an actuator mechanism is spring biased to the locked position in the electrically de-energized state and is actuated and unlocked by electrical energization, it is thus necessary to maintain power to the electrical operator in order to maintain the mechanism in the unlocked state. For low voltage applications, such as encountered in on-board automotive power supplies, the electrical power necessary to overcome the bias spring force on the actuator bolt results in a prohibitively expensive electrical actuator where power is maintained to the actuator during the time that it is energized for unlocking.
In automotive fuel filler door latch applications, the variation in sheet metal component dimensions occurring during assembly of the vehicle body requires a wide latitude of adjustment of the latching mechanism for engagement of the actuator bolt member with the striker in order to secure the fuel filler access door in the closed position. Heretofore, it has been difficult to design an electrically operated remote locking/unlocking mechanism which could be readily assembled in mass production of automotive vehicles for the fuel filler access door application and which could accommodate a wide variation in position of the parts at assembly.
Thus, it has long been desired to provide a way or means of electrically remotely locking and unlocking a mechanism in a manner which enables the mechanism to be held or retained in the actuated or unlocked state without the need for maintaining electrical power to the operator. It has further been desired to provide such a mechanism which is capable of accommodating wide variations in the assembly of the latching member with a striker or retainer so as to permit low cost manufacturing and ease of assembly in high volume mass production. It has been particularly desired to provide such a remotely controlled electrically operated locking/unlocking mechanism for an automotive fuel filler access door application.